2020: What DAW do you use?

[Alphawolf]

I am poor and don't have a good source of income at the moment so I use MU.Lab and Audacity with REAPER and Soundation as secondary and tertiary backups along with a ton of free VSTs and sample packs

[Mahesh]

 

  

3 hours ago, fasstrack said:

A pencil; a piano; manuscript paper---and my ears.

 

I get that! I always tend to write songs the old school way, with a paper and pen and my guitar in company.

 

3 hours ago, fasstrack said:

If I need to make a demo I hire people (oh, the humanity!).

 

That would be ideal indeed! But as an independent musician, it can get challenging to many to be able to afford that with all the costs as it is and no one paying for music like they used to. But again, there's nothing like getting into a studio (preferably for extended periods of time) and working on a record or song. sigh So, I agree, if you have the resources to hire people, then you totally should be doing that.

 

But I think such conversations about DAWs have risen from the very limitations a lot of musicians, particularly independent ones, have in their journey. As the technology has improved in recent times, one is able to execute decent productions on their own using decent equipment in their homes. In addition to that, I personally have found my time spent on learning DAWs to be extremely useful in a studio while communicating with recording engineers and producers on the kind of sound I want or the recording process etc. (Since all major studios would be using one of the major DAWS listed above.)

 

4 hours ago, fasstrack said:

Technology has great things about it, and I marvel at them, and use them---but I've honestly found that people who rely ONLY on it---as in the 'i' this or that---'world' in a little screen, can become quite lazy and ignorant.

 

We do see a lot more people installing garage band and putting sounds together to call it a song. I agree that you see that a lot these days. But with the internet being internet and technology becoming so easily available, all forms of art are facing this pattern as a consequence - saturation.

 

But honestly, to me, the DAW is just a tool. I wouldn't make a big deal about its relevance to my creative process more than it enables me to speed up  & optimize certain processes and hone in on the sound I'm looking for. It empowers my ability to make creative decisions by offering a lot of ways to approach music. Ultimately, the language I'm using to work with a DAW is the same as my guitar or my voice - sound. For me it's as much another instrument I've learnt to play to manipulate sound. The range of volume, pitch and tonality that it can manipulate is so vast that as a musician, it excites me.

 

The point I'm trying to make is that I don't think the DAW is the problem or the technology that is affecting someone. It's their greed that's revealing itself through their art to get to the end result as quickly as they can without actually putting in the work and time to understand how it works. But don't we see the same thing along all walks of life?

 

Again, I'm merely joining in on the conversation. I don't believe one should approach this one way or the other nor do I think either of them are any less or more musical and genuine.

 

 

[john]

10 hours ago, fasstrack said:

A pencil; a piano; manuscript paper---and my ears.

 

Sorry if that sounds---whatever. There's no intent to put anyone down here. I'm from a different generation and orientation. For my needs the simple tools I enumerated work fine. If I need to make a demo I hire people (oh, the humanity!). I hand out parts and they read them down and we record. If there are vocalists involved and there's a gig coming up I rehearse them separately (and pay them something) so they're ready, and no valuable rehearsal time is wasted.

 

It's partly that I'm all thumbs with machines and technology. That's on me, a flaw. But I also believe in making music---even demo music---with humans, and on real instruments played by musicians. I also like a thing that in the dark ages was called handwriting. Remember it? Everyone's was different, and it was a joy to see beautifully copied music, and different approaches. Mine was--and is--lousy, but I work on it. And by some magical twist of fate someone came into my life who is transcribing most of my catalog into Finale so I can publish my life's work.

 

I did NOT write this to piss you off, John. You know my opinion of you and what you've done with this site is high. But I sort of come from 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' school, and don't think the old ways have to die because of peoples' obsession with convenience. Technology has great things about it, and I marvel at them, and use them---but I've honestly found that people who rely ONLY on it---as in the 'i' this or that---'world' in a little screen, can become quite lazy and ignorant. I swear I'm not being a dinosaur/contrarian here (well, OK---a dinosaur, I give you that). I'm reporting what I've seen again and again.  

 

I became a bit perturbed at the question the way it was framed. I feel a more inclusive framing might have been 'do you use a DAW, and if so which one?' I think---no, I know you understand that, John.

 

   

 

hi Joel

 

Not pissed off at all. Different opinions and perspectives are perfectly ok

 

The poll is posted to the “Recording and Production” board. Had it been posted to the songwriting board and been about capturing ideas using notation etc. I might well have agreed with you.
 

If I were posting to a lyrics writing board I wouldn’t feel the need to include musicians in my phrasing for a poll about rhyme schemes.

 

Even so, yes, analogue producers and recording engineers might well feel excluded from this, but it’s not like it is critical of analogue equipment users. Of course, next week we could run a poll of analogue studio enthusiasts.

 

True, we could ask how people notate their music as a survey, but so could you or any other member. Were it me, I would not be asking that question on the Recording and Production board. More likely, the Songwriting board. 
 

Members can start polls about things they are interested in, at any point, or suggest to a staff member that it would be good to have a site-run poll on a topic.
 

The exclusion is more to do with number of questions and number of choices than anything else, and we need boundaries to topics, otherwise every single topic on our boards would need to be inclusive, which would be strange, repetitive and of questionable necessity.

 

Still we are all excluded from something.

 

Every single topic, talks about at least one topic, sometimes several... yet it excludes far more topics... My point is, following your perspective, every single topic would need to be prefaced in a way that accommodates the people the topic is not targeting, making them feel included, despite the fact that they are excluded by their own interests... even when in specialist board areas for that targeted topic.

 

Surely it is better to accept that few topics are for all people and that to encounter topics that are not for us is not a rejection? After all, when I write a topic, I do not expect replies from all members explaining that my topic was not for them but that is in no way a rejection of me, in order that I feel included by them? I am not trying to be silly here, or to trivialise your argument or piss you off. It just seems the corresponding and fair expectation of a topic writer to such an environment.

 

This does wander off into a topic area, so If we are to debate this (I am happy to do so) I think we should start a new topic. In retrospect, I might clean up these posts into a new topic.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

PS I am happy to start new polls about notating songs, capturing lead sheets, working with session people... and analogue studios... all interesting topics, just not this one

[john]

4 hours ago, fasstrack said:

Got it. And damn magnanimous of you to not come down on me.

 

I think it's a good idea, members starting polls. (Of course, techno-simp me would have to learn how). I'd love to know who notates their stuff, and how, software included. I'd like to know what knowledge there is among members of the GASB (Great American Song Book). Selfishly, I ended up deleting my own thread about the older meaning of 'verses'. No one responded---not sure why, but it didn't give me a great feeling that people knew or cared about stuff important to me and perhaps others. It frankly made me feel that maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree here altogether---my affection for many of the people notwithstanding.

 

And I get your point about threads being put in certain discussion areas for good reason. If I in any way hijacked this one I do apologize. But I saw 'What kind of DAW...', not 'D0 you use a DAW...' and became a bull charging at a perceived red flag. Guess I should've laid back, or, better still, PMed you---the more gentlemanly tack.

 

I don't wish to be a gadfly here; a contrarian; or proselytizer for my minority opinions. I don't think I'm superior to anyone---just coming from a different place. If anything I feel inferior being so lousy at technical things---like the train left the station long ago, with my late ass not in a seat. And if my rant insulted anyone I apologize. But my views are my views. I just need to place them in the proper forum... 

 

Hey Joel

 

No problem, my friend.

 

Regarding your topic, don’t despair. I’ll PM you.

 

Cheers

 

John